Beverly Blossom (1926-2014) entertained audiences with her witty dance creations, and inspired generations of dancers and dancemakers.

Now artists from the ballet and modern dance worlds come together to celebrate Blossom's work with revivals of signature dances, performing alongside young dancers taught by former company members and Blossom’s collaborators.

 

On the Program

 

“Dad's Ties” (1981, in memory of her father) 

"Eloquently nutty, Ms. Blossom can bring you to tears in her dark comic signature piece, ‘Dad's Ties.’” (Jennifer Dunning, The New York Times, 1992) 

"The dance deftly combines nostalgic sentiment, mystery, and absurd humor, creating bizarre, vivid images with multiple meanings."  (Tobi Tobias, Village Voice, 1991)
Dancer: Betsy Fisher

“An Inch for Beverly” (2018). “Inch” was created in 1987. Two years later, Blossom invited Douglas Nielson to perform an updated version entitled "An Inch for Doug," performed at her retirement concert at the University of Illinois/Urbana-Champaign. Now, in Blossom's memory, The University of Arizona School of Dance has commissioned "An Inch for Beverly."
Dancer: David K. Bagley
Restaging and Coaching: Douglas Nielsen
Music: Duke Ellington, Black & Tan Fantasy, Creole Love Call

 

“Cello Lessons” (2003) A tribute to Blossom's late, very generous, sister, who was going to buy Beverly a beautiful chair.  "If you buy me a chair," stated Blossom, I'll just sit in it.  Why don't you buy me a cello?"
Dancer: Tandy Beal
Music: Saint-Saens, Boccherini

Hat by: Beverly Blossom

“Gertrude (Seated Figure),” music Satie and “Just a Thought,” music La Violetera, played by the Tango Project.  Both solos investigate a female writer, the first Gertrude Stein and the second Dorothy Parker.  Notes dancer Debra Noble: "I believe that Beverly felt a great kinship for each of these incredible women." 
Dancer: Debra Noble

 

"Shards" (1993), a surreal short story of a dance - "flights of fancy that are brought down to earth by sardonic if good-natured acceptance of the way things are."  (Anna Kisselgoff, The New York Times, 1994)

Dancer: Henning Rübsam
Music: Tomaso Albinoni, Adagio in G minor